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Women’s Tennis Falls To Carleton 5-3 In MIAC Playoff Title Match

Laurel Krebsbach won both of her No. 3 singles matches in the MIAC Playoffs.

For the first time in the six-year history of the MIAC Women’s Tennis Playoffs, Gustavus did not claim the title. After defeating the Gusties 5-4 for the MIAC regular title on April 29, the Carleton Knights responded with a 5-3 decision over defending champion Gustavus on Saturday night in St. Peter, Minn. The Knights will enter the NCAA Regional Championships with an overall record of 18-5.

Both Carleton and Gustavus breezed through the semifinals with decisions of 5-0 each. The Gusties shut out St. Olaf with a clean sweep in doubles play and a pair of wins at No. 2 and 3 singles. Megan Gaard (No. 2) and Laurel Krebsbach (No. 3) tallied the two singles victories for Gustavus in straight sets. Each Gustie doubles victory was won by at least five games. Carleton matched Gustavus with a doubles sweep and wins at No. 2 and 3 singles. Bridget Doyle (No. 2) and Anne Lombardi (No. 3) claimed the Knights’ singles victories in straight sets.

In the championship match, Carleton jumped out to a 2-1 lead with a pair of victories at the No. 1 and 2 doubles slots. Kathryn Schmidt and Erin Gudul topped Gaard and Krebsbach 8-4, while Doyle and Lombardi teamed up to defeat Alex Erickson and Megan Born 8-6. The Gusties’ No. 3 team of Annie Mahoney and Mary Roop won a 9-7 tiebreaker over Molly Hemes and Katherine Greeberg.

Gaard knotted the score at 2-2 to start singles play with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Doyle at the No. 2 spot. The Knights regained the advantage, though, as Gudul defeated Born at No. 4., but once again the Gusties tied the score at 3-3 after Krebsbach beat Lombardi at No. 3. With the match-up down to three singles matches, each in the third set, Carleton grinded out wins at No. 1 (Schmidt over Erickson 4-6, 6-3, 6-2) and No. 5 (Hemes over Roop 6-4, 5-7, 6-4). The Gusties finish their 2012 campaign with a 17-9 record.